Griner leads No. 1 Baylor women over WVa, 76-58

Baylor's Brittney Griner (42) goes up for a shot as West Virginia's Jess Harlee (14) defends in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday Jan. 19, 2013, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
— AP

Baylor's Brittney Griner (42) goes up for a shot as West Virginia's Jess Harlee (14) defends in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday Jan. 19, 2013, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
/ AP

Baylor coach Kim Mulkey points upward as she shouts at an official in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against West Virginia, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)— AP

Baylor coach Kim Mulkey points upward as she shouts at an official in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against West Virginia, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
/ AP

West Virginia forward Jess Harlee (14) goes up for a shot as Baylor's Destiny Williams (10) and Brittney Griner (42) defend in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday Jan. 19, 2013, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)— AP

West Virginia forward Jess Harlee (14) goes up for a shot as Baylor's Destiny Williams (10) and Brittney Griner (42) defend in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday Jan. 19, 2013, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
/ AP

West Virginia coach Mike Carey shouts instructions to his team in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)— AP

West Virginia coach Mike Carey shouts instructions to his team in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
/ AP

Baylor's Brittney Griner (42) blocks a shot attempt by West Virginia's Ayana Dunning (33) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday Jan. 19, 2013, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)— AP

Baylor's Brittney Griner (42) blocks a shot attempt by West Virginia's Ayana Dunning (33) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday Jan. 19, 2013, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
/ AP

Baylor center Brittney Griner celebrates a break-away score by her team early in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against West Virginia on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)— AP

Baylor center Brittney Griner celebrates a break-away score by her team early in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against West Virginia on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
/ AP

Griner appeared to have her 10th block at one point but officials whistled West Virginia for a travel on the play. The 6-foot-8 two-time All-American didn't play the final 4 minutes.

Odyssey Sims had 15 points and seven assists for Baylor (16-1, 6-0 Big 12), which won its record 28th consecutive regular season conference game. The Lady Bears have also won 49 games in a row at the Ferrell Center, the nation's longest active home winning streak.

After West Virginia got a 3-pointer from Palmer 22 seconds into the game, Baylor responded with a 20-2 run. Griner had 10 points in that streak, and Sims had eight with two three-point plays.

By the first media timeout only 5 minutes into the game, the Lady Bears had already surged ahead 15-5 and West Virginia has as many turnovers as points.

Griner, who finished 11-of-17 shooting, had 18 points and eight rebounds by halftime. Sims had 12 points at the break, when Baylor led 40-24.

With her nine blocks, Griner increased her career total to 651, 13 shy of breaking the NCAA career record.

Baylor's home winning streak includes an 82-68 win over West Virginia in an NCAA tournament second-round game two years ago. Griner had 30 points and eight blocks in that game, even while sitting out the last 9 minutes of the first half after two fouls.

West Virginia ended Baylor's big run with six points in a row in a span of 36 seconds, capped by Caldwell and Jess Harlee turning consecutive steals into breakaway baskets in only 15 seconds.

But Griner quickly responded with six points in a row of her own and by the next timeout with 8 minutes left in the first half, Griner already had 16 points - one more than West Virginia at the time, when Baylor led 26-15.

The Mountaineers had won three in a row since opening their first Big 12 schedule with losses against Oklahoma and Kansas.

Ayana Dunning, who was averaging 10.8 points a game for West Virginia, finished scoreless with four fouls in 23 minutes. She was 0-for-8 shooting, including five from 3-point range.

West Virginia sophomore guard Akilah Bethel was carried off the court with just more than 2 minutes to go. She grabbed her left knee after falling to the floor on a drive to the basket, though the extent of her injury wasn't immediately known.